“
4 Sluggards do not plow in season;
so at harvest time they look but find nothing.
10 Differing weights and differing measures—
the Lord detests them both.
13 Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;
stay awake and you will have food to spare.
14 “It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer—
then goes off and boasts about the purchase.
17 Food gained by fraud tastes sweet,
but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel.
21 An inheritance claimed too soon
will not be blessed at the end.
23 The Lord detests differing weights,
and dishonest scales do not please him.
”
Sitting at home in isolation for weeks on end is not good for us. We were created for community and for work!
Even though our government is trying to take care of us, people’s spirits are being crushed. When the Canadian government’s economic response to this pandemic fully kicks in, a family with 3 kids, where both parents are not working, could potentially be receiving $6,000/month “free”. That’s 72,000/year, which is actually higher than the median after tax household income in our country ($61,400). One can make more income not working than the average Canadian who is working.
Now, “they” say this is only temporary aid but as Nobel Prize winning economist Milton Friedman states, “nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program!”
Solomon has spoken a lot about work in the first twenty chapters of Proverbs. He seems to understand its significance in our lives. In this chapter he commits significant time to the topic. Work hard, deal honestly, and don’t look for shortcuts is his guidance.
In Genesis God created us in His image to be in relationship with him. He said it was not good for man to be alone and he gave us work to do. And then He proclaimed, “it was very good.”
In this crisis our government has done just the opposite; they have forced us to be alone and not allowed many of us to work.
Are we surprised this is not very good?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Have you considered God’s purposes for the work you do? Do you engage your work knowing it is what God created you to do? Do you see all work as sacred? Share your thoughts below.